City Council

River Heights City River Heights City Council Agenda Tuesday, May 6, 2025 Notice is hereby given that the River Heights City Council will hold their regular meeting at 6:30 p.m., anchored from the River Heights City Office Building at 520 S 500 E. Attendance can be in person or through Zoom. Pledge of Allegiance Adoption of Previous Minutes and Agenda Mayor, Councilmembers, and Staff Reports Public Comment Housing Crisis Task Force Presentation by Shawn Milne. John Drew, and Karina Brown Presentation from Dwight Whitaker about Purchasing the Old Church Property Adjourn Posted this day of May 2025 Sheila Lind, Recorder Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/i/897149477Q2 In compliance with the American Disabilities Act, individuals needing special accommodations (including auxiliary communicative aids and services) during this meeting should notify Sheila Lind, (435) 770-2061 at least 24 hours before the meeting. 520 South 500 East River Heights, Utah 84321 Phone & Fax (435) 752-2646  River Heights City Council Meeting May 6, 2025 3 4 5 Present: Mayor pro-tern Chris Milbank 6 Council members: Lana Hanover 7 Mark Malmstrom 8 Janet Mathews 9 10 Public Works Director Clayten Nelson 11 Recorder Sheila Lind 12 13 Excused Mayor Blake Wright 14 Councilmember Lance Pitcher 15 Treasurer Michelle Jensen 16 17 Others Present: Shawn Milne John Drew, Karina Brown, Dwight Whitaker, 18 Doug & Georgiana Clausen, Noel Cooley, Cheryl Alder, 19 Nancy Huntly, Heather Lehnig 20 Electronic attendees: Shellie Giddings, Cindy Schaub, Riley C 21 22 The following motions were made during the meeting: 14 25 Motion #1 26 Councilmember Hanover moved to "approve the evening's agenda." Councilmember Mathews 27 seconded the motion which passed with Hanover, Malmstrom, Mathews, and Milbank in favor. Pitcher 28 was absent. No one opposed. 29 30 Proceedings of the Meeting: 31 32 The River Heights City Council met at 6:30 p.m. in the Ervin R. Crosbie Council Chambers in the 33 River Heights City Building on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, for their regular council meeting. 34 Pledge of Allegiance 35 Adoption of Previous Minutes and the Evening's Agenda: Minutes for the April 30, 2025 meeting 36 came out late so the Council didn't have time to review them. They will be adopted at the next Council 37 meeting. 38 Councilmember Hanover moved to "approve the evening's agenda." Councilmember Mathews 39 seconded the motion which passed with Hanover, Malmstrom, Mathews, and Milbank in favor. Pitcher 40 was absent. No one opposed. 41 Mayor and Staff Reports: There was none. 42 Public Comment: There was none. 43 Housing Crisis Task Force presentation bv Shawn Milne. John Drew, and Karina Brown: Ms. Brown 44 informed that she was a policy analyst for Cache County Executive Zook. In early 2022 Executive Zook ,5 created the Housing Crisis Task Force to address the community's extreme shortage of housing and Rm\ nuiyiiis eiiy Emuuvij ivioyiiii^, 3/g/&5 ¥ 520 South 500 East River Heights, Utah 84321 Phone & Fax (435) 752-2646 46 affordable homes. The Envision Cache Valley 2010 report anticipated a doubling of the population in 47 Cache Valley by 2050. The population was currently approaching 150,000. Their task force determined the 48 housing shortage was due to: 1) Developers only build housing they are allowed by local government, 2) A 49 vocal minority of citizen biases are against housing types that don't match their current neighborhood, 50 and 3) Members of the public push the idea that any housing density higher than in their neighborhood 51 will depress property values. 52 The average home price in 2010 was $180,000 compared to today at $450,000. Average monthly 53 mortgage payments went from $1,400 to $3,400. Residents blame growth on out-of-towners, however 54 85% of the valley's growth is coming from within our own families. 55 John Drew shared some of the complaints they had heard from residents against high density 56 housing. Companies with high-paying jobs may choose not to locate in the valley because of the housing 57 shortage, so Jobs necessary for a growing population go elsewhere. They suggested the prohibition of city 58 codes which create barriers to a variety of housing options. When university graduates want to stay close 59 to home, it's tough. He gave examples of companies who had hired employees from outside of the valley 60 who then end up turning down the jobs because they can't find adequate housing. 61 Shawn Milne said that 55% of Utahns are 35 and younger. At the end of March, a survey said 30% 62 of this group are contemplating moving out of the state. He discussed 3 recommendations; 1) Zoning 63 reform at the county and city levels, 2) Public education campaign with an emphasis on reaching younger 64 people who are close to or at home-ownership life-stages, and 3) Coordinate county and city planning for 65 growth. He discussed community survey questions and answers. 66 Doug Clausen assumed a lot of renters would prefer to own a home for equity. He asked, if 67 communities had an Idea to have smaller single-family homes built, would developers build them. Mr. 68 Milne said builders would rather build attached homes because they could get more for their land. A 69 developer had told him that cities don't have single-family small lot zoning on their books, and they don't 70 want to wait three years to get things changed. They would also end up being the target of community 71 angst against them. 72 Councilmember Hanover had some questions about the survey. She also asked what level of 73 coordination they recommended between cities and the county. Mr. Milne suggested each community 74 have a certain percentage of multi-family living in their city. The Kern Gardner Policy Institute at the U of 75 U estimated that Cache Valley would need 11,600 additional housing units between 2021-2030 to 76 accommodate new household growth. He felt each city should take their share. 77 Councilmember Mathews asked more about the survey and suggested a deeper survey Including 78 community members. 79 Councilmember Mllbank asked if the state would step in and require certain zoning. Mr. Miine 80 said the state is taking the housing shortage very seriously. He had heard a legislator say they were 81 considering dissolving planning commissions. 82 Councilmember Mathews noted that a development had come to the city to build "affordable 83 housing" which wasn't going to be affordable at all. John Drew said developers build what they are 84 allowed to build in cities. He also said there was a supply and demand relationship between the price of 85 homes. When local governments get involved, they add restrictions. 86 Councilmember Hanover noted that their presentation used scare tactics and antidotal stories. 87 She expressed offensiveness to an earlier comment made by Mr. Milne when he said, if people are going 88 to pro-create in a particular small city, then they should allow their share of four-plexes. 89 Doug Clausen asked if it were possible to build homes that would sell for $200,000. John Drew 90 said it would be up to developers. 91 Mr. Milne offered an apology, and said he didn't mean to be flippant In his comments. River Heights City Executive Meeting, 5/6/25 2  92 The Council thanked the group for coming and giving their presentation. 93 Presentation from Dwight Whitaker about Purchasing the Old Church Property: Mr. Whitaker 4 reported that things \were working out quite well for them in the old school. He thanked the city staff, - y5 council, and citizens for their support. He noted a report that showed an estimated added value of the 96 Cache Valley Humanitarian Center to Cache Valley at $1,035,457.00. He asked if the city would consider 97 selling a portion of the unpaved property west of the old school building, enough land for a 5,000 square 98 foot building. He guessed J4-1/3 acre would be sufficient. The River Heights community had really made 99 them feel welcome. 100 Cheryl Alder said their ultimate goal was to own their own building, rather than lease. 101 Councilmember Milbank pointed out that the property was currently zoned residential. 102 Councilmember Hanover asked where their funding came from. Mr. Whitaker said they received 103 donations and grants. Councilmember Mathews asked if they had funding for the new building yet. Mr. 104 Whitaker said they did not. He hoped they could have the amount saved in two years. If they couldn't get 105 this property they would look elsewhere to build. 106 Councilmember Malmstrom asked what the council had considered for this property in the past. 107 He was informed that they hadn't really talked about it. PWD Nelson pointed out that it was the last 108 vacant property the city owned. 109 Councilmember Milbank noted the Council would need to have further discussion about the 110 request at a later date. 111 The meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m. 112 113 114 ) Sheila Lind, Recorder ) 117 Chris Milbank, Mayor pro tern River Heights City Executive Meeting, 5/6/25 3  CVHC Value Added Report Julyl,2021 to March 31,2025 1- Volunteer Hours: 27,551@ $30.00/ hr. (IRS) $826,530.00 2- School Kits: 2,115 @ $25.00 each. $52,875.00 3- Hygiene Kits: 2,912 @ $22.00 each. $64,064.00 4- Coats, Quilts, Blankets: 7,380 @ $10.00 each. $7,380.00 5- Sleeping Mats: 328 @ $100.00 each. $32,800.00 6- Newborn Kits: 504 @ $50.00 each. $25,200.00 7- Mini Hygiene Kits: 402 @ $4.00 each. $1,608.00 8- Books: 5,000 @ $5.00 each. $25,000.00 9- Total Value Added to Cache Valley: $1,035,457.00 ( v I ,^IWAKEFIELD^. .*=irv-. 5 ^ I I .( .,m /H • ■:q: ii.-. ( 02<016^q 1 MATiTHEl rYVONNE ir CA — ( iDAVID'J .LTHU! K .*’62a)24; ,1 ANDREW MONicSfRtT MELWA^UE FAMILY 11 n O cu > 3 n CD 4A c tn